Creating a Sustainable Work Space
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Cooper Carry’s custom office furniture and work stations were fabricated with Arreis
Sustainable Design Fiberboard.

When architectural design firm, Cooper Carry, redesigned its Atlanta offices, the goal from the beginning was to make it a LEED Platinum certified project.

Sustainability is a part of this architectural firm’s DNA and having a certified office was one way for the company to not only illustrate its ability to design a beautiful space, it also showcased its commitment to the concept.

Cooper Carry used a team of more than 15 LEED accredited professionals on the project, including a sustainability consultant, MEP engineer and a lighting consultant.

“We went into the design [of this project] with a commitment to be consistent to our sustainability culture,” says Richard Stonis, director of interior architecture. “Every decision, material-wise, had to meet our sustainability vision.”

Approximately 50,000 square feet of office space was redesigned with 75 percent of that being work stations. It is an open space design with flexible and collaborative work areas.

 
Mortensen Woodwork, located in Union City, GA, was selected to fabricate the custom office furniture and collaborative tables. Stonis described the company as one of Cooper Carry’s preferred vendors and said that they shared many similar philosophies.
Working with Mortensen, Cooper’s design team developed methods for the best use of materials. SierraPine’s Arreis Sustainable Design Fiberboard was chosen as the core material for the custom office furniture, and for collaborative tables. According to SierraPine, this product is not only manufactured in a sustainable manner it also features a formaldehyde-free adhesive system and pre-consumer recycled wood fiber. Surfaces were unfinished except for varnish. Though there are many sustainable materials on the market, this particular MDF was chosen because the company has worked with it before. It is a low-cost, proven material, Stonis says.

About Mortensen Woodworks
Mortensen Woodworks is a full-service architectural millwork firm that offers material procurement, design, machining, finishing, assembly and installation.

Housed in a 130,000-square-foot facility, the company utilizes just-in-time manufacturing, which allows it to produce 100 percent of its products in-house, as well as provide quick turnaround.

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